Preserved Wine

Rabbi Yitzchak opened [his discourse concerning the wine and fats offered in idolatrous practice and] said: "Those [the idolaters] that did eat the fat of their sacrifices, and drank the wine of their offering" [that they had put before their deities]. (Deut. 32:38) Worthy are Israel that they are holy, and G‑d desires to sanctify them [and therefore commands them to be careful with their food and drink].

Come and see: All the life of the worlds that the holy children of Israel inherit [both in this world and in the World to Come] is derived from the World to Come [the World of bina] for it is the source of all the living beings above and below and the place where the preserved wine rests. [The bounty that flows from the world of bina is called 'preserved' wine for there it is protected from the forces of impurity. (n Hebrew, "meshumar" denotes both 'preserved' and 'protected'.)] From there, Life and Holiness issue out to all.

The wine of Israel is on account of the wine of another Israel [i.e. Zeir Anpin, receiving the bounty of bina , called the preserved wine, the source of all wine]. One [wine, that of Israel below] depends on the other [wine of Israel Above, of Zeir Anpin], for the Supernal Israel [Zeir Anpin] derives life from it [the preserved wine in the world of bina]. Therefore, it is called 'the Tree of Life', which is a tree taken from a place called 'Life' from which life comes forth. Therefore, they bless G‑d with wine [Kiddush, Havdalah, Birkat Hamazon, marriage, and Brit Milah, all draw down the preserved wine]; the wine of Israel below is in this manner [of connection to the wine up High].

An idolater is impure and whoever approaches him will become impure. Therefore, if he approaches the wine of Israel, it is defiled and is forbidden. All the more forbidden is the wine which is made by an idolater. Do not say then that this alone, for everything that Israel do below is the same as the supernal model. The wine that is in a supernal place is all the more like the preserved wine.

Therefore, Israel drink the wine of Israel that has been made in Holiness as Israel Above who drinks the wine and spreads roots and is blessed by that holy supernal wine. They do not drink wine which has been made with impurity from the side of impurity, for the spirit of impurity rests upon it and whoever drinks it defiles his spirit. He is defiled and he is not of the side of Israel and has no share in the World to Come, for in the World to Come lies the preserved, protected wine [that will be served at the Messianic feast at that time].

Therefore, the holy Israel must guard this more than anything else, since it is connected to the place of the World to Come. Therefore, G‑d is blessed by using wine more than with anything else, for it gladdens the left side [of gevura]. In that rejoicing, it merges itself in the right side [the wine arouses joy and thus includes the right which is chesed and sweetens all judgments]. Thus, when the whole becomes right the Holy Name is in bliss and blessings are all over the worlds. By that act below, a reaction is elicited above. Therefore, one pronounces the blessing upon wine below to correspond with the wine Above.

Therefore, because it [wine] is preserved above, it should be guarded below, and by keeping it so, Israel shall become Holy. He from the Side of Impurity who defiles it below will be defiled in this world, and he will have no share in the World to Come where the preserved wine rests. He does not care for it, he is not cared for in the World to Come. He defiles it, therefore, he will be defiled in that world and will have no share in the wine of the World to Come. Happy are Israel who sanctify themselves with the supernal Holiness, guard whatever should be guarded, and sanctify the King with this supernal keeping. Happy are they in this world and in the World to Come.

BeRahamim LeHayyim:
The Zohar has some very harsh things to record about the spiritual practices of non-Jews. Non-Jewish wine especially —because it can be used in idolatrous libation ceremonies — is condemned. The mere touch of a non-Jew onto the open bottle of unheated wine of a Jew ritually contaminates it, one reason why non-Jews are traditionally not invited to the Seder and Shabbat table. This is tough medicine for those modern readers who are trying to find harmony amongst the nations. All we can say here is the Jewish law is Jewish Law. We don't have to like it, but we do have to follow it.

Bracketed annotations from Metok Midevash and Sulam commentaries
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